Outer ring for antifriction bearing

ABSTRACT

1,033,245. Bearings. FAFNIR BEARING CO. March 5, 1964 [July 5, 1963], No. 9343/64. Heading F2A. The outer race 12 (Fig. 1, not shown) of a ball, or roller, bearing is provided with annular lubricating recesses or channels 20, 21 which are situated adjacent either side of the track 19 for the balls and shaped to direct lubricant on to the track by centrifugal action when the bearing is in operation. Further annular lubricating recesses 17, 18 may be formed in a cage 16. The bearing may be of the angular-contact type and include a cut-away portion 15 in the inner race 11. The recesses 20, 21 may have a profile in cross-section (Figs. 3, 4, not shown) which differs somewhat from that according to Fig. 1. The bearing may be modified to include a single lubricating recess adjacent the track 19.

Dec. 15, 1964 R. w. MORAN 3,161,448

OUTER RING FOR ANTIFRICTION BEARING Original Filed Oct. 31. 1961INVENTOR.

RONALD w. MORAN BY ATTORNEY United States Patent UUTER RING FORANTIFRICTION BEARING Ronald W. Moran, New Britain, Comp, assignor to TheFafnir Bearing Company, New Britain, Conn., a corporation of Qonnecticut(Iontinuation of application Ser. No. 148,928, Oct. 31, 1961. Thisapplication July 5, 1963, Ser. No. 294,463

' Claims. (Cl. 308187) This invention is a continuation of applicationSerial No. 148,928, filed October 31, 1961, now abandoned and relates toantifriction bearings, and more particularly to a new and improved outerring construction for an antifriction bearing.

In the operation of ball bearings, it is known that the contact areabetween each ball and the outer bearing ring raceway is substantiallyelliptical. Under thrust load this contact area is displaced to one sideof a plane pass ing radially through the bearing, and the angle of thisdis placement is referred to as the contact angle. Bearings aremanufactured having an initial built-in contact angle that is valid onlyunder static loading conditions.

The present invention in providing a new and improved structuralarrangement for the outer ring, establishes the boundary edge of theouter race groove at a location close to, but just beyond, theelliptical contact area, which would result from the maximum bearingthrust static loading condition. As rotational speed is increased, theinitial (static) outer ring contact angle decreases, thus shifting theball contact area away from the boundary edge, so

that full ball contact support for all speed conditions is assured.

It is an important object of-the present invention also to provide a newand improved structural arrangement for the outer ring of anantifriction hearing.

A principal object of the present invention in providing an improvedouter ring structural arrangement is to confine the bearing lubricant toan area close to the elliptical contact area where it is utilized mosteifectively.

A further object of the invention is to provide a structural arrangementin an antifriction bearing, where grease lubrication is used, to reducethe loss of lubricant substantially, thus improving the bearing life.

Also it is an object of the invention to provide a new and improvedantifriction bearing to operate at a lower bearing temperature than hasbeen achieved in the past.

Briefly, in accordance with the above objects, features and advantages,the invention provides a bearing outer ring construction whichincorporates a recess or cavity on at least one side of the outer racegroove and, preferably, on both sides thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in thefollowing description and claims and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings which disclose, by way of example, the principle of theinvention and the best mode which has been contemplated of applying thatprinciple.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view, partly in cross-section, of an angularcontact type ball bearing having an outer ring in accordance with theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but illustrating the invention inconnection with a Conrad type bearing;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing a conventional bearingretainer; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing two annular grooves inthe outer ring having different configurations from those shown in FIG.1.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a bearing includes an innerbearing ring 11 and an outer ring 12. An antifriction element 13 isshown in the form of a 3,161,448 Patented Dec. 15, 1964 ball toillustrate a ball bearing for the purposes of this description.

The inner ring 11 has a built up portion 14 around one outer edge and acut-away section 15 around the opposite edge in accordance with acustomary angular contact type ball bearing. Under thrust load appliedin the sense of the arrows A-B in FIG. 1, the contact area for a ballelement 13 against the outer race is substantially elliptical assuggested by the projection C in FIG. 1. This contact area is displacedto one side of the plane which passes radially through the ball centersand the angle of this displacement about the ball center is referred toas the contact angle, designated on in FIG. 1.

A ball retainer 16 is provided with a groove or channel 17 adjacent oneside of the ball 13 and a groove or channel 18 adjacent the oppositeside of the ball 13. Both of these channels 17, 18, may take the form ofa single wide continuous circumferential annular channel on the outerportion of the retainer body 16. This form of bearing retainer is thesubject matter of my copending application Serial No. 101,130, filedApril 6, 1961, Patent No. 3,121,597.

The outer bearing ring 12 is formed with a race groove 19 to receive aportion of each ball 13. In addition, the outer ring 12 is provided withtwo recesses or grooves 20 and 21 extending annularly around oppositeannular edges of the race groove 19.

The dimensions of each recess or groove 20 and 21 are such that theboundary edges or points 22 and 23 are located outside of any contactarea which possibly could exist between the ball 13 and the ring 12under the maximum thrust load conditions. In other words, when a maximumthrust load is applied against the outer ring 12 to the left as viewedin FIG. 1, the contact area between the race 19 and the ball 13 willshift to the right and the contact area between the ball 13 and thegroove 19 will not reach the point 23. Accordingly, since there can beno contact between the points 22, 23 and the ball a highloading stressgradient with attendant undesirable excessive loading on the ball 13 atthese points cannot result.

It is also preferable that the points 24 and 25 representing the outerannular boundary of the recesses or grooves 20 and 21 shall fall withinthe width of the retainer 16.

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 1, the race groove 19 has aradius indicated by the arrow A, and the radius of the recesses 20 and21 is indicated by the arrow B.

In FIG. 2 of the drawings, the construction of the outer bearing ring12a is similar to that shown in FIG. 1, but the inner bearing ring 1111is illustrated as being of the Conrad type. This is to illustrate thatthe invention is adapted readily for use with various forms of bearings.

In FIG. 3, a conventional ball bearing retainer 30 is illustrated forthe purposes of indicating that the invention is not restricted to usewith the type of retainer 16 shown in FIG. 1. In addition, recesses orgrooves 20a and 21a are shown in FIG. 3 as having a slightly differentconfiguration from that shown in FIG. 1. However, it should be notedthat the points 22, 23, 24 and 25 are located'similarly as shown in FIG.1, and the same reference numerals have been used to indicate thesecorresponding points.

FIG. 4 of the drawings shows a bearing cross-section similar to thatshown in FIG. 1, with the exception that the recesses or grooves 20b and21b have a slightly different configuration to illustrate that theinvention is not limited to any specific configuration for the recessesor grooves. However, the points 22-25 in FIG. 4 are located similarly asthose shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, but

the same reference numerals have been used to indicate these points.

It should be noted that in the figures the various recesses 20, 21 and20a, 21a, adjacent the outer race grooves 19 are formed by portions ofthe inner wall immediately adjacent the grooves which have progressivelygreater radial dimensions along the points progressively closer to saidgrooves. When the bearing assembly is rotated, the resulting centrifugalaction directs the lubricant outwardly into the annular circumferentialcavities formed by the channel 17 and recess 21 and the channel 18 andrecess 20. Due to the centrifugal forces and the slope of the recesswalls 20, 21 and 20a, 21a, the lubricant is constantly urged into theregion Where it is most effectively utilized, that is, in the outer racegroove 19. Moreover, due to the sloping or curved surfaces of the recessboundaries 20, 21 and 20a, 21a, a certain amount of lubricant ismaintained adjacent the balls and can never be forced out of the hearingby reason of centrifugal force as in conventional bearings. Moreover,the provision of the circumferential cavities formed by the channels 17and 18. with the recesses 21 and 20 respectively, greatly reducesshearing or churning of the lubricant between the retainer and the outerrace, thus eliminating the undesirable high temperature rise encounteredduring the break-in period of conventional bearings.

Additionally, it will be obvious, as noted earlier in the specification,that the advantages of the invention can be achieved with the use of asingle recess on only one side of the outer race groove, with othersuitable means being provided on the opposite side of the groove torestrain the loss of grease from the bearing assembly.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present inventionare possible in the light of the above teachings. Therefore, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited in its applications to thedetails of construction and arrangements of parts specifically describedor illustrated, and that within the scope of the appended claims it maybe practiced otherwise than as specifically described or illustrated.

I claim:

1. In a bearing having a plurality of antifriction elements and an outerbearing ring member against which said antifriction elements are adaptedto act, said outer bearing ring member having an annular groove forminga race to receive a portion of each antifriction element in loadsupporting contact therewith, said outer bearing ring member having afirst tapered annular recess on one side of said antifriction elementsand a second tapered annular recess on the opposite side of saidantifriction elements, said recesses each being shaped to direct alubricant into said groove when said bearing is rotated, and the contactareas between said groove and each antifriction element being spacedfrom each of said recesses.

2. .In a bearing having a plurality of antifriction elements and anouter bearing ring member against which said antifriction elements areadapted to act, said outer bearing ring member having an annular grooveforming a race to receive a portion of each antifriction element in loadsupporting contact therewith, said outer bearing ring member having afirst tapered annular recess adjacent one edge of said annular groove,said recess being formed by a portion of the inner wall of said ring andshaped to direct a lubricant into said groove when said bearing isrotated, and a second annular recess in said outer ring similar to saidfirst recess on the opposite side of said antifriction elements fromsaid first recess, the contact areas between said groove and eachantifriction element being spaced from each of said recesses.

3. A bearing as set forth in claim l wherein said recesses are arcuatewith boundaries substantially close to said antifriction elements.

4. In combination, an antifriction bearing comprising inner and outerrings with concave antifriction raceways therein, antifriction elementsriding both raceways in spaced relation to each other, said bearingbeing of the angular contact type wherein a thrust load on one of saidrings with respect to the other will produce contact of said elementswith the outer race at a location axially offset from the radial planepassing through the race centers, the contact area of each of saidelements with said outer race being elliptical and also being spacedfrom each of said recesses, said outer ring member having an annularrecess adjacent that edge of the race groove which -is adjacent theoffset contact location of said elements with said outer race, saidrecess being formed by a portion of the inner wall of said outer ringand shaped to direct a lubricant into the raceway in said outer ringwhen said bearing is rotated, and a second annular recess in said outerring on the opposite side of said antifriction elements from said firststated recess.

5. In a bearing having a plurality of antifriction elements and an outerbearing ring member against which said antifriction elements are adaptedto act, said outer bearing ring member having an annular groove forminga race to receive a portion of each antifriction element in loadsupporting contact therewith, said outer bearing ring member having afirst tapered annular recess on one side of said antifriction elementsand a second tapered annular recess on the opposite side of saidantifriction elements, said recesses each being shaped to direct alubricant into said groove when said bearing is rotated, said recessesalso being disposed symmetrically with respect to said groove, and thecontact areas between said groove and each antifriction element beingspaced from each of said recesses.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,177,303 10/39Murden 308-188 FRANK SUSKO, Primary Examiner.

1. IN A BEARING HAVING A PLURALITY OF ANTIFRICTION ELEMENTS AND AN OUTER BEARING RING MEMBER AGAINST WHICH SAID ANTIFRICTION ELEMENTS ARE ADAPTED TO ACT, SAID OUTER BEARING RING MEMBER HAVING AN ANNULAR GROOVE FORMING A RACE TO RECEIVE A PORTION OF EACH ANTIFRICTION ELEMENT IN LOAD SUPPORTING CONTACT THEREWITH, SAID OUTER BEARING RING MEMBER HAVING A FIRST TAPERED ANNULAR RECESS ON ONE SIDE OF SAID ANTIFRICTION ELEMENTS AND A SECOND TAPERED ANNULAR RECESS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID ANTIFRICTION ELEMENTS, SAID RECESSES EACH BEING SHAPED TO DIRECT A LUBRICANT INTO SAID GROOVE WHEN SAID BEARING IS ROTATED, AND THE CONTACT 